Dynamically stabilized transporters refer to personal transporters having a control system that actively maintains the stability of the transporter while the transporter is operating. The control system maintains the stability of the transporter by continuously sensing the orientation of the transporter, determining the corrective action to maintain stability, and commanding the wheel motors to make the corrective action.
For vehicles that maintain a stable footprint, coupling between steering control, on the one hand, and control of the forward motion of the vehicles is not an issue of concern since, under typical road conditions, stability is maintained by virtue of the wheels being in contact with the ground throughout the course of a turn. In a balancing transporter, however, any torque applied to one or more wheels affects the stability of the transporter. Coupling between steering and balancing control mechanisms is one subject of U.S. Pat. No. 6,789,640, which is incorporated herein by reference. Directional inputs that advantageously provide intuitive and natural integration of human control with the steering requirements of a balancing vehicle are the subject of the present invention.